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Buddhist devotees in walk of faithDate : 9 May 2009 The Straits Times - Buddhist devotees in walk of faith 09 May 2009 SAFFRON-CLAD monks watched over nearly 5,000 devout Buddhists taking up positions at sunset at the Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery yesterday. In a sea of prostrate bodies, the devotees followed an ancient Buddhist ritual - the 'three-steps, one-bow' march - which Buddhists practise here on the eve of Vesak Day, or the day believed to be the Gautama Buddha's day of birth, and his enlightenment. The ritual is an arduous but fulfilling one. At the temple in Bright Hill Road, devotees have to travel about 2km in this way: Pace three steps, fall prostrate to the ground, palms open towards the sky, rise, and repeat until they reach the end of the march. The entire journey takes around 21/2hours to complete. Yesterday, the procession began at 6.30pm and is expected to continue until 9am today - with several groups preferring to march in the cooler morning hours. It begins again today at the same time. For the temple's younger devotees, its youth division is organising an adventure game, the Da Ma Code, from 9am today. Mr T.H. Hauw, the temple's assistant manager of public affairs, said the two-day event is likely to draw between 30,000 and 40,000 Buddhists. Buddhists believe that the three-step walk is the most humble and self-sacrificial way to demonstrate their faith. YEN FENG (With thanks to SPH - StraitsTimes.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. |
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